500.A15A4/2280
Memorandum by the Secretary of State
The German Ambassador called and I stated to him that the one primary and paramount purpose and matter of consideration of the [Page 243] United States Government was the promotion of general disarmament. I said that, naturally, any organized movement for this purpose could not logically contemplate a modified program by which some governments might proceed to rearm; that the theory of my government was that we should wage a steady contest for the disarmament of the heavily armed nations, rather than become parties to a plan for others to proceed to rearm; that this viewpoint had no reference to countries or populations anywhere in particular; that this had been the policy of the United States Government since last spring; and that our only purpose was not to have in mind the nationals of any special country or any other questions or conditions in connection with the Geneva Conference except the movement for disarmament.